A. G. S.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13329, 22 January 1909, Page 7

A. G. S.

AS SEF.X AND HEARD BY THE 'NICE NEW ZEALAND BOY."

(srECIAJ.I.Y WRITTEN" FOR "TH>: TRESS.' - ) A. G. Stephens was in Christchurch. Ho had done many things, and was, by all accounts, a man worth mooting. I wanted to meet him, and if I had no introduction, I had impudence, and soon found an excuse. A book in which cuttings might be pasted was tirocurablo cheap; a pilo of old papers would provide the cuttings. I should co to him with my collected "works" beneath my arm, seeking his opinion, of their doubtful worth. So should I bo able to meet him, and so should 14>e able to gauge his reputed kindliness. Tho scheme succeeded. Ho camo to mo in tho smoking-room, a squarelybuilt man, with a square-cut beard. I remembered that his face had been compared to that of Jehan Rictus, and for a moment fell to wondering who Jehan Rictus might liavo been. With inane remarks such as I imagined suitable, I handed him tho clippings. He looked at them carefully, and spoke of them, but I did not listen carefully. They wero vastly uninteresting clippings, and had boon paid for long ago. Now they had taken mo into his presence their purposo was served. 1 wanted to try to guess what manner of man this was. His garb and beard suggested tho sea, but ho was no sort of seaman, that 1 'had over seen. His age, also, was doubtful. If he were under middle-ago, then ho had done much work and known many worries; if ho were much beyond, say, forty-fivo or fifty, ho carried his years easily. His eyes wero clear and very steady, his nerves so under control that tho liquid in tho coii'ee-eup ho held never rippled or swirled as it would have done had his hand shaken ever so slightly. He was a strong man, and in good condition. Tho critic was talking. He talked as lie would- have written, meaning what he said and: saying it. definitely. His voice "was very wen, almost freo from a<*ent or intonation. Every word! came clear; in ■each sentence there wero little pauses, -where stops would 1 have been liud the phrases been written down. A. G. Stephens is a. journalist, may be, but ho is a scholar first, last, and. always. In a smokingroom his voice and) themes seemed out of place. His words should, have been spoken in some quiet library whoro t<he public did not come. The way in which ho spoke of lesser things showed how he camo to lioid tho position ho does amongst Australian men, of letters. In his manner there was neither posei;or conoeit. His kindliness was wonderful. Ho was so kind that he did not refrain from saying things which it was good far mo to know. I began to liko him, and to bo half-ashamed* of the way in which I had com© to him. His remarks on things wero good to hear. "Don't go away to do great things in London. Others have done tliat and como back to bo sorry. Don't go to Sydney to be a Bohemian. "Tho decent life is best—even, for journalists. Travel—and come home. You will find no better city than, Christclmrch in your travels. "If- yoai want to bo a journalist, look at all things, cultivate everybody. Everybody has something to tell you; and , many persons mistako diamonds for pebbles—for want of sympathy, or simply not seeing them. TaLk to ChristchuTch business men—train conductors — cabmen —dustmen— anybody who will talk to you. All copy, when you are ablo to get tho wheat from tho chaff. "I saw a fine thing to-day on your Park notioe-boaird l —No. 7 of the bylaws of the Christchurch Domain: "No person is permitted to carry burden-? within tho limits of the Domain." Sco how big that is, imaginatively? Just the opposite to Danto's "Abandon, hope all ye who enter here." You must leave all your oares behind, all you:| load of woes, when you come to the' Domain—simply, the Board will not permit you to carry them further. You ought to make something of that- — everything's copy if you're going to bo a journalist. Try it as a vilanello. Oast off your load) of care! Here's freedom, take your share! It can be done nuich better than that. "N«w Zealaixlers are greatly appreciated in Australian journalism. They have not. perhaps, a great reputation for hrilliancy, but they have a better reputation for steadiness. The qualities are seldom combined. And the energy of New Zeal a nd»rs is always notable. It is more persistent than the Australian energy, which is somewhat apt to bo spasmodic. Mr Taperell, Mr Nolan, and Mr Jack Barr, with other graduates from tho New Zealand Press, are well spoken of in Sydney." So he talked l on upon oil sorts of topics, but nlways in the same level voice and the same steady, unflashing eye.

"You are a. nice- boy, and) I like you," were his last words. Hβ is a nice, kind critic, and I like him. So we are even, if only the Editor has space to spore for this.